Neiko Tools "USA"

[CORetiree]

I need to remind everybody that Toyota Motor Co got its start in the mid-30s by ripping off the blueprints for the Chevy Stove-Bolt 6. We all know what they did with that technology a few years later...

I think the USA is naive playing by "Free Trade" rules while letting other countries run all over us. Look at Korea. They sell hundreds of thousands of vehicles here yet employ only 500 Americans and don't allow Detroit to sell there.

I know it's difficult to determine where our tools are made, but we can try to buy American - at least until the lights go out in the last U.S. manufacturing plant.

Sorry for the rant, but many of my best friends in the U.S. auto industry are now unemployed.

 

[cruiser808]

I need to remind everybody that Toyota Motor Co got its start in the mid-30s by ripping off the blueprints for the Chevy Stove-Bolt 6.

Yup, it later evolved into the 2F straight six engine in my 1981 FJ40 Land Cruiser. Bullet proof and time tested power plant by the way.

 

[rcleaver]

LOL... but I am interested in how you found out they could drill through butter
Married are you ?

I can't help smiling,. I have this mental image of a block of butter in the fridge... with holes in it

WTF? You guys in the UK DON'T drill YOUR butter?????

ROFL LMAO

 

[crankshaftdan II]

Neiko tools are definatelly foreign, I purchased a set of extensions, wobble type as advertised on e-bay thru a "POWER SELLER" from Florida, listed as Craftsman, even sent me a "C" socket with shippment, aluded to them being craftsman, when received I saw right away by sight and weight that they were "CHEEP", tried one out and it chipped the chrome plating and cracked in the center length. I had to fight pay-pal for over a year to get a refund! The last time I checked the seller, they were no where to be found, power sold themselves out of a job selling Neiko tools, attorney generals office chased them to texas(where our beloved ex. pres. resides)but the law in texas protects american scammers selling knock-off tools made in CHINA!!!!! If its cheep, its usually a scam----be careful in the future!!!

 

[porcupine73]

I was curious about the Neiko tools as well. I see them all over Amazon. Good info in this thread.

Yes crankshaftdan I almost got taken by that 'C' trick on eBay. The auction is for some garbage tool then says it includes a Craftsman socket. The way it is written you think everything is Craftsman, but it isn't, it includes just a C socket so it can put the Craftsman name in the auction. Fortunately I got outbid on the auction I was bidding on.

 

[Jbullfrog]

I have a set of left-handed Neiko bits and they work great. I have used them to drill out 9/16 hub mount dual bolts that broke off. They are every bit as good or better than my Craftsman Ti-nitride bits that I use daily.

 

[Joe From NY]

Our beef should not be against china, but against our own government and greedy corporations here.. In china, the government goes around to companies and checks their employment figures. If they have layoffs, they get penalized. Their plan is for maximum employment of their population. The government there cares more that the whole country has jobs, than if the heads of companies make more millions in bonuses. As public policy, they have decided what is best for the country is that everyone is working. If the companies layoff workers, they are looked upon as failing. it is the opposite of here. Here, with our absurd system, if a company lays off workers, their stock value goes up and wall street says "Good Job!" The people making the tools we buy are among the best paid in their country, and there is a constantly growing middle class there. Is the middle class in the USA growing and getting more prosperous? Hell, no!

 

[Danglerb]

I'd really rather not have the government protect me from what I want to buy.

Neiko tools are out of the same plants as most of the HF junk. I doubt they make anything themselves, just buy from whatever sources they can and have their name put on the box. Swap meet and Craigslist sellers are full of the stuff, so they must have some kind of wholesale distribution, but I don't see any reason to buy their brand over HF which is local to me with an easy warranty.

 

[hilld]

Wow digging up an old thread. I am just wondering how many of you really go out of your way to buy something made in a country other than China. Does the price become the deciding factor or is it really truly the country of orgin.

Everyone talks about wanting to buy something US made, but when it comes time to pay for it, chooses a China product.

I am thinking lifts Rotary or Mohawk vs. Chinese Bendpack, Danmar, etc.

Or Miller or Hypertherm (welders/plasma cutters) vs. Chinese Everlast, HF, etc

I bought a lift and Plasma cutter this year and can say I made it a point to buy American, even though it did cost me more money than if I had taken the Chinese route. Vote with your wallet and not your mouth/keyboard.

 

[american lockpicker]

Wow digging up an old thread. I am just wondering how many of you really go out of your way to buy something made in a country other than China. Does the price become the deciding factor or is it really truly the country of orgin.

Everyone talks about wanting to buy something US made, but when it comes time to pay for it, chooses a China product.

I am thinking lifts Rotary or Mohawk vs. Chinese Bendpack, Danmar, etc.

Or Miller or Hypertherm (welders/plasma cutters) vs. Chinese Everlast, HF, etc

I bought a lift and Plasma cutter this year and can say I made it a point to buy American, even though it did cost me more money than if I had taken the Chinese route. Vote with your wallet and not your mouth/keyboard.

For me it is truely country of origin. Price means nothing but if its low I don't complain. Back when I bought American I took over a year looking in 3 counties in WV and 1 in Ohio to find a US made dremel. Paid $20 more than the same model that was mexican.

Sure North American and European tools cost more but they last forever, hold their value, have a pride of ownership, better engineered, workers who make them have higher wages and possible retirement plans, etc.

 

[Joe From NY]

...

I am thinking lifts Rotary or Mohawk vs. Chinese Bendpack, Danmar, etc.

Or Miller or Hypertherm (welders/plasma cutters) vs. Chinese Everlast, HF, etc

I bought a lift and Plasma cutter this year and can say I made it a point to buy American, even though it did cost me more money than if I had taken the Chinese route. Vote with your wallet and not your mouth/keyboard.

No doubt, i bought the HT Powermax30 plasma cutter, and the Millier MM211 last year, over their cheapo chinese junk counterparts. But i went with a Dannmar lift, because they were the only one making a portable two post lift that i needed for my backyard, but it does look like a toy compared to a Mohawk:
http://www.mohawklifts.com/library/How_2Posts_Lifts_Are_Made.pdf

 

[hilld]

There is nothing wrong with buying Chinese stuff, but you do get what you pay for. If there is no USA alternative, you really don't have a choice, but what bothers me is the people screaming don't buy Chinese stuff, but when it comes time for them to buy, they pick the Chinese made stuff because it is cheaper, even if it is disposable.

 

[Danglerb]

I pay some attention to COO, but mostly restrict it to known quality or expertise in some given area, Japanese and German steel, Hawaii for Aloha shirts, that kind of thing.

 

[BigBoBo]

I stumbled onto this forum while googling for product review on Neiko Cobalt drill bits since I have never heard of this company before. I actually bought a set of Craftsman 13 piece Cobalt drill bits already couple days ago. It was on sale for $19.99 + 9.75 % sales tax. Then I was searching to buy more cobalt drill bits for future use and searched ebay and Amazon and the Neiko 13 piece drill bit set name came up. Some sellers on amazon actually received some pretty good reviews on this Neiko set. The price on ebay and amazon are about half of what I pay at Sears. So I may gamble on the Neiko just for the price.

Some of the posters here have some very good reasons on why or why not on buying cheap import tools. But some are just outright racist.

The way I look at it, what goes around, comes around.

We buy a lot of their junk tools, they also buy a lot of our junks -- McDonald, KFC, Pizza Huts, pepsi's and coke's made with high fructose corn syrup. Pretty soon they will all end up like Americans, fat and lazy. Their businessmen made tons of US$$ and start pushing up real estate prices, their low paid uneducated workers will start demanding higher living wage because of the increase in living expenses, more medical benefits, more workman compensation, more employment rights, more work strikes, filing more unfair labor practice lawsuits. Their government will start demanding higher payroll taxes, social security taxes, property tax, corporate income tax, more government regulations. Eventually, their production costs get so high that they start shutting down all the factories and start moving production to another third world countries where wages are low. Just like what the good old USA, Japan, Korea and Taiwan once went through.

 

[catfish]

i think the OP was more complaining about the deceit used in trying to avoid the issue of country of origin.

I know in the US there is a brand call 'Sheffield' which is meant to conjure up images of Sheffield in England , one of the more respected places for tool manufacturing in the world.All those tools are from China or Taiwan.Then you go through the whole looking on the back of the box for the tiny tiny writing that says 'made in China' or if they're trying to be cryptic 'Made in PRC' or even 'Made in ROC'.The pages of emails to online sellers asking where the tools is made because nothing is listed.

Every damn store should be like Epstein and have a flag that shows you clearly where it's made.I also find it amusing on Harry Epsteins website that he has flags for India , Taiwan , Mexcian etc tools but all the Chinese tools are just labelled 'Import' with a non-descript flag there.Even Epstein is ashamed to stock Chinese tools.

 

[oldtools]

I don't think it's illegal. Is it deceitfull? Yes, is it misleading? Yes, is it sleazy, Yes, but not illegal. As long as they're not falsely saying "made in the USA" then it's not illegal, but they're implying "Made in the USA" with the brand name, and i'm sure that was completely intentional

It's done everywhere. You really have to watch out. Take a look in Home Depot, there's a brand of lights called "American Flourescent" Their logo even has stars and stripes in it. I'll give you one guess where the products are actually made......and it begins with a C. But, it does say that right on the box (although it's in very small print)

Is it Cambodia?

 

[catfish]

Is it Cambodia?

Columbia? , they make Levi 501's there now.
I've heard the quality has gone down though , thinner fabric and more prone to stretching/shrinking in the washing machine.

 

[JeffDM]

We have a simple law to cover this in the UK.
It's called The Trades Descriptions Act.

additionally, throughout Europe we have legislation that says you can't have Champagne from Spain, only from the place called Champagne in France; Melton Mowbray pies come from Melton Moybray, not Berlin; Eccles Cakes have to come from Eccles etc etc.
It's very simple.

I don't know about the others, but I think particularly the Champagne example bothers me. Not only is it the location of where it is made, but it also has to be a particular type of wine. Other types of wine made in Champagne can't be called Champagne. It just feels like they're trying to have it both ways, though the use of legislation, no less. It just feels like lobbying used to granting a special form trademark long after the fact, despite utterly failing to file one in the first place.

The other examples are other locational trademark for specific types of products, and I see it as a bothersome trend.

 

[american lockpicker]

I don't know about the others, but I think particularly the Champagne example bothers me. Not only is it the location of where it is made, but it also has to be a particular type of wine. Other types of wine made in Champagne can't be called Champagne. It just feels like they're trying to have it both ways, though the use of legislation, no less. It just feels like lobbying used to granting a special form trademark long after the fact, despite utterly failing to file one in the first place.

The other examples are other locational trademark for specific types of products, and I see it as a bothersome trend.

I personally have no problem with it. I like that cognac isn't cognac unless it is made in Cognac, France.

 

[cheap bastard]

.AKA commie bastards..(is minor cussing allowed here?)
Apparently, ******* is not cussing.

 

[BigBoBo]

I do agree that the USA logo on the package is meant to mislead the consumers. However, this practice is not limited to the company that imports the Neiko products. Other American corporations also do the same thing for other imports if they can get away with it. So it pays to be a smart consumer.

I wonder if the same package is used in China to fool the Chinese consumers into thinking they are buying something made in the USA. If they do use the same packaging in China, I bet those commies are also cussing the Americans out for selling them some poorly made products.


It is the job of the Custom Agents to enforce the laws at the Port of Entry. But there are millions of pieces of merchandise that they have to process each and every day, they may catch some violations and miss most of them. And unless the labeling are in clear violation of the laws, there is not much they can do.

 

[JeffDM]

I personally have no problem with it. I like that cognac isn't cognac unless it is made in Cognac, France.

It seems fine if you only have a few such "trademarks" on products based on regions, but if you bring it to its logical conclusion, I think it really stands to make a mess out of trying to communicate or sell a product, and make things needlessly complicated. Imagine, hypothetically, a world where wrenches could only be made in Wrench, Germany, Sockets in Socket, Italy and ratchets in Ratchet, England. Similar products would have to go by other names. Requiring products to properly identify where they are made is not nearly so onerous as requiring a name be only allowed as a product of a geographical area.

 

[catfish]

It seems fine if you only have a few such "trademarks" on products based on regions, but if you bring it to its logical conclusion, I think it really stands to make a mess out of trying to communicate or sell a product, and make things needlessly complicated. Imagine, hypothetically, a world where wrenches could only be made in Wrench, Germany, Sockets in Socket, Italy and ratchets in Ratchet, England. Similar products would have to go by other names. Requiring products to properly identify where they are made is not nearly so onerous as requiring a name be only allowed as a product of a geographical area.

You can't compare a traditional food item to a hand tool.

 

[dkroth]

Columbia? , they make Levi 501's there now.

Levi's are made everywhere. I'm wearing a pair made is Lesotho right now. Frankly, I had to look that one up.

 

[catfish]

Levi's are made everywhere. I'm wearing a pair made is Lesotho right now. Frankly, I had to look that one up.

First i've heard of it as well.
I guess China was too expensive for them

 

[StinkyBunny]

To the OP, look for a set of Indestro wrenches. I needed a set to do the steering rack in Stinky and found them on fleabay for $17.50 delivered. The ones I got go from 6mm all the way up to 32mm.

 

[BigBoBo]

Just tried to use the Craftsman Cobalt Drill bit to drill out a stuck adjusting nut (30MM) on the front wheel of my truck. After drilling two holes, the drill bit is all worn out. I have a feeling these drill bits all come out of the same factory as the Neiko USA brand. The only difference is the price, $21.94 vs. $9.99. This set will be returned back to Sears.

 

[Daedalus]

Neiko tach, ~$20

Sheffield Research $62

OTC Tools $84

Apparently for $64 more the OTC one includes a nylon case.

 

[JeffDM]

You can't compare a traditional food item to a hand tool.

I used using hand tools as a hypothetical illustration. Why should "traditional food items" be granted a special classification of protection not availed otherwise? And why is only European food getting them? Aren't there other foods, for example, in Asia, that have a much longer history? Why give food naming rights a special place in law and treaties? That's why it gives me the impression of being an unnecessary form of cultural and economic protectionism.

 

[Abrasive Trader]

Interesting post on all this. I deal with a bunch of tool brands from proto down to nieko. If you know the tools, your OK. But they have several different quality ratings on their tools that the public doesn't ever see. Scary, I know. But don't let it fool you, that knock off tach could be complete junk or it could be a great knock off at a great price.

Some of their air tools are exact replica's of major brands. Have been at customers shops and seen them swap parts from a nieko directly into some big brand name tools with a perfect fit. Suprisingly, some of the air tools outlasted the name brand stuff for a fraction of the cost.

We have tested out & sold almost every hand tool they have and there is about 5% of the hand tools that are actually really good for the money. Its not much different than the stuff you see at HF, a few diamonds in the rough, but mostly low grade imports....

 

[lem48]

I agree. Made in America is the only way to go. I work for a distributor who imports Neiko tools and safety gear. We sell a full range of American made products, we also sell Neiko brand which is made in China. I know this cause the owner of the company i work for has been to there plant in China. I only sell our American stuff, which mean's less commissions for me, but I am all about keeping the money and jobs here in America.

 

[lem48]

Neiko tools are JUNK!! If you haven't noticed we have Chinese people living here in America, and they work for companies like Snap On, Proto, and such. I think it's the companies here in America that want more money in there own pockets so they send all the specs for there products to China to engineer with cheap labor. Neiko tools are all Chinese made. Lots of companies have gone over there. Our government doesn't have the balls to tell China and India we have had enough of their junk.

 

[americanpatriot]

I'm a new member. I found this thread while trying to get opinions on Neiko tap and die kits. Reading this thread has prompted me to re-evaluate everything I buy, so I did some research. Here's some brands that try to appear American (some subtly, others blatantly). I'll be thinking twice before I send my money foreign.

Mercedes-Benz USA --> Daimler AG (German) --> mbusa.com

BMW of North America --> Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (German) --> Bavarian Motor Works --> bmwusa.com
(Btw, "Bayerische" is for "Bavarian." Bavaria is a State in Germany that was the center of Nazism, the Blask Sun, the Thule Society, and where some people still deny the holocaust.)

Michelin, BFGoodrich, Uniroyal --> SCA Compagnie Générale des Établissements Michelin (French) --> michelin-us.com

Gerber (baby products) --> Nestlé S.A. (Swiss)

Eureka (vacuum cleaners) --> AB Electrolux (Swedish)

Budweiser, the Great American Lager --> Anheuser–Busch InBev (Belgian) --> budweiser.com

Coors, A Rocky Mountain Tradition --> Molson Coors Brewing Company (Canadian, though I don't mind Canada at all)
(In researching this, I found that the Coors family is anti-gay/lesbian and makes anti-gay political contributions. I'm not gay, but I don't like people messing with other people's prerogatives. I used to drink Coors because it's Kosher, but the only American and Kosher beer that I can easily get is Sam Adams. I'm not Jewish, but I don't like beers finished with fish scales. Plus, if it's Kosher, then it doesn't have carminic/cochineal insect food coloring to give alcohols a nice amber color.)

Miller Genuine Draft --> SABMiller plc (Britain)

Ghirardelli Chocolate Company --> Lindt & Sprüngli (Switzerland) --> ghirardelli.com
(These guys even say they are American in their webpage. F'n liars. So I tried to buy Godiva for my daugher, but that stuff is owned by Yıldız Holding in Istanbul, Turkey.)

I'm going to dig up some more foreign fakeouts.

 

[t100]

according to Snap On tools' market research, putting USA on hurts your tool sales.

so, what's the problem.

 

[slipjointed]

according to Snap On tools' market research, putting USA on hurts your tool sales.

so, what's the problem.

Snap-on can kiss my ***... I'll stick with Wright, they sure as hell aren't afraid to stamp USA on their tools.

 

[americanpatriot]

Ok, I promised more foreign fakeouts.
These brands are imposters.
Buy American and keep our jobs here at home!


American Power Conversion --> Schneider Electric (Rueil-Malmaison, France)

New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) --> NYSE Euronext --> Deutsche Börse (Frankfurt am Main, Germany)

American Stock Exchange (AMEX) --> NYSE Alternext U.S. --> NYSE Amex Equities --> NYSE Euronext --> Deutsche Börse (Frankfurt am Main, Germany)

Chrysler --> Fiat Società per azioni (Turin, Italy)

Trader Joe's --> Theo Albrecht (Germany)

Alka-Seltzer --> Bayer Schering Pharma AG (Berlin-Wedding, Germany)

Hellmann's and Best Foods --> Unilever N.V. and PLC (Britain & The Netherlands)

Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream --> Unilever N.V. and PLC (Britain & The Netherlands)

Vaseline --> Unilever N.V. and PLC (Britain & The Netherlands)

Purina (Pet food) --> Nestlé S.A. (Switzerland)

Everlast (Boxing) --> Sports Direct International PLC (Britain)

Brooks Brothers --> Retail Brand Alliance (Italy)

Ray-Ban, Oakley, Sunglass Hut, LensCrafters, and Pearle Vision --> Luxottica Group S.p.A. (Agordo, Italy)

Motel 6 --> Accor (Courcouronnes, France)

American Idol (TV talent show) --> Bertelsmann AG (Gütersloh, Germany)

French's (Mustard) --> Reckitt Benckiser PLC (Britain)

Wild Turkey (Bourbon) --> Pernod Ricard (Paris, France)

 

[garagebug]

Hey fools, the companies name is NEIKO USA. If anything, it would appear to be Japanese tools from a US distributor.

Anyone who thinks for a second they are getting US made tools at those prices is a straight *****, no deception required.


Necro Bugmenot, you uppity buffoons.

 

[kippieland]

Hey fools, the companies name is NEIKO USA. If anything, it would appear to be Japanese tools from a US distributor.

Anyone who thinks for a second they are getting US made tools at those prices is a straight *****, no deception required.


Necro Bugmenot, you uppity buffoons.

<a href="http://www.funnyforumpics.com"><img border="0" src="http://www.funnyforumpics.com/forums/WTF/1/wtf-animated.gif"></a>

There a Chinese company...

 

[dieselmike]

The tools look great. I thought they might be like Makita was when I ran across them back in the early 80's. Where anything is made these days has become more than a mystery. Scrap from the USA. Finished steel from Spain. Tooling and assembly from China. Shipped on boats owned by Saudi Arabia and/or Al-Queda. Sold by salesmen from India. And bought by a Canadian distributor and then trucked across the line to us here in the good old USA. Is that re-cycling? Does that make them green (environmentally friendly)? And it's only going to get worse. Makes me want to go into my shop, close the door and enjoy my collection of tools. When the electric tools started coming over from China back in the 90's I tried them because of the low price but found the motors ran at different speeds because of issues with bearings, windings and brushes. The Dewalt/Black&Decker went over and taught them how to make decent quality. Now they're not so bad. Trouble is I can't afford them because I don't have a job. It was exported to China or Mexico. I'm not sure, anymore. If you buy a Chevrolet that's built in Brazil is it still a US car? If GM gets a bailout from US taxpayers will they have enough money to build another plant in China or India? We can't let them fail because... I can't finish that because I'm not sure what the answer is.

this was fantastic

 

[Countingman]

Came here from Google, as I was about to make the mistake of buying a set of Neiko "USA" screw extractors on Ebay. I wanted to be sure. Glad I came here before I bought them. It was a god-send to learn about Harry Epstein's website and their policy of clearly labeling their tools C.O.O. It's priceless. As far as I know, they are the only vendors to do so. Over at Sears, almost all of the CRAFTSMAN tool products that have been recently developed are made in China. These Chinese made "Craftsman" tools still sell at higher than HF/Lowes/Autozone prices, of course, thereby reaping huge profits for Sears. Sadly, more tool production is likely to leave the USA as our labor prices simply can't compete with the wage-slavery that authoritarian regimes such as "Communist" China (the regime is really fascist in nature) imposes on its own people. (One last point: Isn't it ironic that China produces military-style firearms for export to the USA but doesn't allow its own citizens to purchase them???)